Good luck Journy. I spent a year in Ballad and 7 months in Mosul not long ago as a contractor and 6 months in Kandahar when i was still an active duty Marine. The living conditions suck, the dust sucks, the random RPG and mortar explosions suck.
But like i tell everyone i meet heading to the sand box " take 2 buckets with you fill 1 with poop the other with money and when one of them fills up come home"
Take care.